McGloin locked in battle for Penn State QB job

STATE COLLEGE - His face was stoic. His demeanor was straightforward. His confidence was apparent.

No, he's not the typical Penn State quarterback spending what's left of summer getting ready to possibly assume the starting job in September. But forgive Matt McGloin if he doesn't know that.

There may be a fierce competition for the starting quarterback job come August, but the only one who was in attendance at the eighth annual Lift For Life competition in Holuba Hall on Friday was the former walk-on from West Scranton.

With Kevin Newsome not in attendance and true freshmen Paul Jones and Robert Bolden not competing, the focus of what is sure to become the debate of August in Happy Valley centered firmly on McGloin's sunburned shoulders.

Loaded with experience and talent at both the running back and wide receiver, and with an offensive line that returns three starters from last season, the experts believe Penn State's fortunes will ride with the quarterback this fall.

McGloin went so far as to say Penn State will live and die with how the quarterback performs, bold words considering he may be one of the frontrunners for the job.

"I think that's true with any team," senior receiver Brett Brackett said. "The quarterback has got to be the leader. He's a very important part of any offense. You've got to have a quarterback who can lead you down the field when you need to. He's the guy who's supposed to lead us, and then let us take over once we get the ball. But without the quarterback, what's football?"

Coming onto the scene as a preferred walk-on in 2008, McGloin seemed to have an uphill battle in just seeing the field. After all, no quarterback who joined the team as a walk-on has ever started the season as a quarterback under legendary coach Joe Paterno.

But McGloin said Friday he expects he and Newsome will share snaps with the first team once camp opens early next month.

"I wouldn't say he has the lead over me," McGloin said.

So far this summer, the quarterbacks have been doing what quarterbacks usually do: Working out, throwing passes to receivers, hoping to nail down some of the timing in the event they have to take the snaps once Youngstown State comes to town in just 56 days.

Brackett said each of the quarterbacks have made great strides in getting the ball out of their hands early and into the hands of the receivers who have proven adept at making things happen during the Daryll Clark era.

But, Brackett also said the coaching staff is looking beyond throwing arms and foot speed in their quest to find the best quarterback to lead the offense.

"Hands down, without a doubt, it's 100 percent leadership," Brackett said. "They all have talent. They all have the skills to play quarterback. But they're looking for a guy who is going to be the field general, be that leader."

That, McGloin said, is where he fits in best.

The scope of Penn State's offense would seem to depend, McGloin admits, on how easily the quarterbacks can hold the offense together.

With the durable and punishing Evan Royster returning at running back, McGloin said the quarterback is going to need to be a guy who can make the plays with an opposing defense stacked inside the box, eight men unfocused on the passing game and intent on stuffing the run.

It's a position offenses generally want to avoid. It's also one McGloin relishes.

"I don't understand who wouldn't want to be in that position, where they're bringing eight men into the box, and you have to go ahead and throw it," McGloin said. "Obviously, I'm a quarterback. I want to throw it."

Against all odds, he's got a chance to do more than most ever figured he could in a Penn State uniform this fall.

Even with the spotlight and the pressure that will come with the quarterback race, McGloin's teammates warn the success of the Nittany Lions in 2010 doesn't lie exclusively in the hands of the quarterback.

"The quarterback is going to play a big role in that," receiver Graham Zug said. "But if we have a great team, it's tough not to be successful."

WORTH THE WEIGHT

At last year's Lift For Life event, reporters surrounded rail-thin receiver Derek Moye, asking how exactly he planned to add weight and strength.

This year, it was the same deal.

"I was 200 here last year," Moye laughed. "I'm 204 this year. I eat, eat, eat. And I just can't put on weight."

It didn't matter much to Moye in 2009, as it turned out. He led the Nittany Lions with 48 receptions and 785 yards, and his six touchdowns were one behind Zug's team lead.

Added weight or not, he's expected to be the top outside threat Penn State has this season.

"I'm just going to do more arms (workouts) and stuff," Moye said. "I'm going to try to at least make myself look bigger than I actually am."

NOBODY'S SAFE

Officially, Gerald Hodges isn't a big safety anymore.

But he's a pretty big linebacker in his own right.

Easily one of the most physically impressive players on hand Friday, Hodges said he has added five pounds of muscle, and the 232 pounds he's weighing in at now is expected to help the sophomore share time at weakside linebacker with Nate Stupar this fall.

"I'm real happy," Hodges said of his new position. "I feel comfortable there. I feel natural. But the real key is, I have the mentality now that I'm not a safety anymore. I'm a linebacker now."

Contact the writer: dcollins@timesshamrock.com

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